Comfort My People

The first Comfort My People gathering was December 2002 and was the result of Christian Renewal Church and Temple Shalom in Salem, Massachusetts extending hands of friendship toward another with the initial purpose to support Israel in the midst of the Intifada. It seemed as a miracle was developing between faith, race and gender that evening and the local newspaper coined the term, "The Bridge over Lafayette Street," as both congregations stood opposite one another on this street. During that first service the rabbi taught of the little known day of remembrance and fasting that had occurred just the day before, the tenth of Tevet, which marked the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and to which Isaiah wrote, "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins."
We were all in awe to learn that to almost the day, separated by millennia, we were confirming the words spoken by G-d through the prophet Isaiah. And so the miracle has continued over the past five years with seven Comfort My People events occurring to date. While we have hosted local and international speakers and dignitaries, we recognize that the true miracle happens on a the personal level, where we as Jew and Christian begin to get to know each other, ask questions of one another and begin to stand confidently beside one another, especially as we seem to be facing rising opposition to biblical and democratic values we embrace for not only Israel, but for the United States as well.
With the goal of strengthening relationships between Jews and Christians, Temple Shalom and Christian Renewal Church will be hosting, Jews and Christians: A Journey Of Faith. On each evening of November 6th and 13th we will watch half of the movie, followed with table discussion of what was just seen. Please plan to join us these two nights. For more details, call Denette Abers at 978-374-6429.
http://www.comfortmypeople.org/#